Nostalgic Desert Sands
by Soukouno Kimmonkyou
Summary: This is a poem loosely based on Death Note. It recalls events preceding the story from Near's point of view, including how he met Mello, how he entered the Wammy House, and how he left it. There is also slight Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn crossover in here.


Nostalgic Desert Sands

_How I still clearly remember the sands_

_And the memories that lie within_

_How I wish I could return_

_But alas, fortune, I cannot_

_Ah… I can still hear the call of those sands_

_The winds that carry them, still whistling in my ears_

_Remind me of the desert's liveliness_

_As only its king and felicity reigned_

_And all of a sudden, in such a short time_

_I found myself so distanced from the jubilant land._

_Too well do I recall you _

_The one who brought me to my ultimate doom_

_I'll never forget that chance meeting_

_I, a helpless child, lay with the lowest of life forms_

_My life seeping into the Earth's core with them_

_But just as my soul was ready to roost itself in the clouds_

_A pair of feet was present before my eyes_

_With what little strength I had left_

_I slowly elevated my head from its resting point_

_Gazing upon the one to whom the feet belonged._

_I saw a blonde-haired youth_

_Covered in black, and emblem of holiness around his neck_

_He stretched out a helping hand_

_To such a poor, needless creature_

_"Come with us. We'll give you a place to stay," spoke he_

_It would be the worst of crimes_

_To refuse such benevolence_

_So I accepted the giving hand_

_And with its touch, its wondrous warmth_

_I felt a burst of energy, starting my life anew._

_We had journeyed to the heart of the desert_

_And contrary to my life of melancholy_

_I found only the most gratified solace_

_No matter where I looked, near or far_

_Even the poverty-stricken loved to live under so gracious a king_

_As did I, for my shelter is now here_

_I joined the other children in their games_

_Led by the one who graced me with the breath of life_

_I became so accustomed to my new companions_

_That I was all too terrified to lose their fellowship._

_I had learned much from my stay here_

_Adding to the vast knowledge I already had_

_So accustomed was I to my new abode_

_Now more than ever, they could not know_

_The true nature of the blood in these veins_

_Only those of mixed race could live_

_In this kingdom of the brightest wits_

_And, unbeknownst to them_

_Freezing blood course through me_

_Much colder than they thought their own to be._

_But most of all, the soil's thunder_

_For all that is good, ensconce that knowledge from him_

_He has freed me from the umbrae the abyss_

_And now looks at me with love in his smile_

_Lustrous happiness in his eyes_

_Would he do the same if he knew?_

_I tremble, shudder frantically_

_All the world can know_

_They may sneer at me as often as they wish_

_But not him, the one to whom I owe my life._

_In paying off my debt to the now former crown prince_

_I vowed everything to stay by his side_

_Assisting him in whatever way_

_I could trust him with any words, any feelings_

_We were close enough, shared the intimacy_

_To disclose any secret, however dark_

_Save the one of my true lineage_

_Yet there was one so abstruse deep within me_

_Lying dormant, wanting not to be unveiled_

_That try as I might, I could not discern it._

_"Hello there!" the desert prince greeted me one day_

_I replied with an almost warm grin_

_Oddly, he wanted to stroll around with me_

_And knowing what charity he has shown me thus far_

_Could I dare refuse?_

_He took my hand in his_

_The blood in that hand so lukewarm_

_Almost nullified the curse in my own blood_

_Further heating me was the anticipation_

_Of where fate would now guide us._

_His guidance had led us both_

_To the apex of the desert's highest dune_

_The residents below seemingly isolated from reality_

_Illuminated by the setting sun_

_So close to me was he_

_His body heat becoming my own_

_Bringing my sleeping secret to the light of the fading sky_

_No longer was it vague or obscure_

_"I love you," came the secret in a whisper._

_They were so faint, those newborn words_

_That I was sure he could not hear_

_And I really hoped he did not catch wind of them_

_True as there were, powerful they may be_

_If he knew of how I felt, he would surely scorn me_

_We flew down from that sand dune_

_To the royal castle in which we would rest_

_So worn from the words being drained _

_I lay in bed, slowly shutting my eyes_

_The revelation yet instilled in my mind._

_Much time had passed_

_Since I found the one to whom my heart belonged_

_Yet he still showed me his magnanimity from that meeting_

_Or, better yet, more compassion still_

_But he could still keep a poker face_

_Within my presence and that of others_

_Even though I knew he did not feel _

_What I thought of him with every waking moment_

_That he still treated me as if I were human _

_Was enough to placate me for the time being._

_The next day I aimlessly ambled on the desert's outskirts_

_After so many a year of staying here_

_Why did I not see this before?_

_A spring out of the blue_

_Like an oasis in the arctic_

_Curious to know what lay within_

_I doffed what I wore_

_Submerged myself in its waters _

_For being in the midst of arid land_

_This spring soothed those who entered quite well._

_The heat of the blessed water_

_Brought my blood alive_

_Knowing that no tangible eyes pried upon me_

_I became my blood's true power_

_A creature that few did know of in modern times_

_A monster of subzero temperatures_

_With diamond-crushing limbs and fangs like swords_

_I broaden my wings as far as I could reach_

_Slam my spiked tail against the spring water_

_And to the sky that afflicted me, I uttered a piercing cry._

_Having purged my heart to the heaven above_

_My capricious emotions quelled_

_The inferior human remnants in me returned_

_I had my fill of the decent portion of ocean_

_Heading back to the desert kingdom_

_I wanted to see the dear prince again_

_And found him I did indeed_

_But it was not for my good_

_Beside him was his king_

_Such icy, heartless looks on both their faces._

_"What troubles you, o gracious king?"_

_Questioned I to the desert ruler_

_"I hereby strip you of your position as crown prince,"_

_Replied he in a solemn tone_

_"For you know that only those of mixed blood_

_Are allowed to call themselves my people._

_You, however, have a home_

_In a land quite different from this one._

_You are officially exiled from my kingdom_

_Yet because I am a just ruler_

_You have a day's time before you must go."_

_No! How on Earth did he know_

_Of that curse, when I thought I was alone?_

_Could it have been that he watched me?_

_The one in whom I trusted all?_

_I know it, I certainly knew it_

_For after the king's declaration_

_The crown prince fled swiftly_

_Far from where we stood_

_Wait! There is so much I still want to know_

_I did not want him to run, for I needed him now._

_Yet he became so deeply lost_

_Faded away into his land's soil_

_If he evaded me so_

_Then my purpose here is nothing_

_Away with me! I was never meant to be_

_With him in any way, in body or soul_

_He hated me forever, I knew_

_Yet despite that, I still love him_

_Even if he longed for another._

_Ten years have drifted by_

_And out of my enduring feelings_

_My feet urged for me to go back_

_To my surprise, he now bore the crown_

_He had given his hand to another prince_

_An embodiment of youth so akin to him_

_Slept soundly in his arms _

_Indeed, I found it hard to approach_

_But his eyes, dancing across the lands he now ruled_

_Chanced upon I, the ex-prince._

_My heart froze, turned into stone_

_As did my voice, imprisoned within me_

_As did he, my everlasting passion_

_"Why art thou here?"_

_His voice so deep, resonating in my mind_

_"I'm so sorry, but I had to see you,"_

_My most profound feelings now overflowed_

_He put the little one in his resting spot_

_Walked to me with a gradual grin_

_Pulling me close to feel our hearts touch._

_"I'm forever regretful of what I've done_

_To you, when you deserved it not_

_But I want you to know this:_

_Hear your soft confession I did_

_To know you loved me, my heart fluttered_

_Racing as fast as yours must have been._

_My prince, at one time I loved you_

_But now I am wed to another_

_Still, I will part you with this gift,"_

_Spoke he as his eyes and mouth neared._

_I feared his partner would know_

_But mollifying my sorrowful memory_

_With such a precious benefaction_

_Could I really feel any anguish?_

_That is the last I remember_

_Of those times I once shared_

_With you, my love and destruction_

_Now I lay here, once again in deep despair_

_With nothing to guide me to a new life_

_Save the call of the wind and the nostalgic desert sands._


End file.
